Martin Dowey

Scarborough Athletic’s fine start to the season stuttered once again at Prescot Cables on Saturday, as they were held to a 1-1 draw.

In fact it was the struggling hosts who could have grabbed the lion’s share of the spoils following a spirited display in the Liverpool back streets.

Having taken the lead through returning centre-half Ryan Qualter, Boro just seemed to stop playing.

The chances, imagination and creation dried up, to be replaced by genuine frustration from the players, bench and travelling fans.

This came as something as a shock after the FA Cup hangover was blown away after just three minutes.

A corner was delivered into the box and Ryan Qualter’s downward header was too powerful for the hand of keeper Marcus Burgess.

Murmurs of another big score echoed around the tidy Merseyside stadium, but after such a frenetic start, Boro ground to a halt.

The only thing Boro offered in the remaining 40-odd minutes of the half was a Tom Corner delivery into the box that may have been handled by a Prescot defender, but referee Simon Mather turned his back.

By the time Mr Mather blew his whistle for the interval, Prescot were level and hunting down the goal to move them ahead.

They had drawn level when Rob Doran outmuscled Boro debutant Tommy Cooney and angled a hedaer across Rob Zand, who was also making his first appearance for Athletic.

Cables continued to turn on the power at the start of the second half, but some electric defending from Boro somehow cut their charge.

At the other end of the field, Boro showed little, the only joy saw Corner shake off his marker, but his scuffed shot was easily held by Burgess.

That was Corner’s last action as Boro made three quick-fire substitutions, with Alex Peterson, Joe Lamplough and Alex Metcalfe all coming onto the field.